This will be my last blog post for a while. I'm having a break over Christmas and will come back when I'm rested and ready to go aga...

This is the first foxglove flower I've ever grown. I just love them but always thought our climate was too harsh for them to grow here. ...

This week I've been working on promoting the Down to Earth paperback on radio and writing articles for magazines and online. The weathe...

My son had to go back to hospital last Sunday with a nasty infection under his arm. He had a melanoma and lymph gland removed in late Septem...

My apologies for not posting this on Friday. I had a few things to do yesterday, and it's almost the end of the year and I'm tired. ...

Here is our really tasty lime cordial alongside a jar of radish sprouts I just started. I bought a small bag of limes when I was shopping la...

I thought about writing a new book to show how simple life could help you thrive when Covid is active in your community. But when I thought ...

I had some new paperback Down to Earth books sent to me during the week and decided to sign and sell them. I sent the first batch off yester...

It's been a busy week here.  Hanno was in the hospital on Monday to have an angiogram. We thought he might be headed for heart surgery b...

I want to start today by thanking everyone who bought a paperback copy of Down to Earth. The hardback was published in 2012 and became a be...

We've continued to get the garden ready for summer but the most important part of this week has been preparing for the publication of th...

We got our internet connection back yesterday afternoon so I'm pleased to be back with you. There'll be no Weekend Reading today bec...

We had "scheduled maintenance" on our NBN on Thursday and now we have limited broadband and no explanation why. Anyhow, I'd al...

Tomorrow is Hanno's 80th birthday so our family will be here for lunch and celebrations. I met Hanno when he was 37 and I was 28, we sur...

Yesterday afternoon, I'd just planted some snapdragons. I've never grown Californian poppies before but some were in a bee and butte...

Each week the weather is warmer and each week I try to do more in the garden because I know that come November, I won't want to be outsi...

The backyard at 3pm with Gracie's woollen blanket drying in the sun . Hanno having a rest while he fixes the pathway in the chook run.  ...

More work in the garden this week. It's been good to be outside although the wind is annoying as it dries out the soil too quickly. Hann...

I've spent time every day in the garden this week. The warmer weather has promoted growth and the two tomato plants have grown a lot in ...

I showed you a photo of our sofa recently but I've gone closer now so you can see the Australia cushion made  by my sister, Tricia . She...

I will never tire of looking at this face. Gracie was under the table on the back verandah with the sun streaming in. She enjoys being th...

I forgot it's Friday! 😳  I just came home from grocery shopping and it clicked. I'm glad I remembered now and not Sunday afternoon...

This week I've been reading through a recently published book, The ultimate guide to preserving vegetables.  I've really enjoyed it...

Hello everyone. I had a good break and feel better for it. I did a lot of thinking while I was away, it's amazing how clearly you focus...

I'm taking a break from posting here and on IG. I'll sign off for now but I'll see you again soon. Thanks for your recent...

We're learning hard lessons lately. The ongoing drought and coronavirus have taught me that to be resilient enough to bounce back time ...

We're quietly working away in our home with a day out here and there for Hanno's doctors' appointments and grocery shopping.  L...

We've been really busy this week. Hanno's had a couple of health issues and had to go for an unexpected checkup with his eye specia...

Another week has gone by in lockdown, although the tough restrictions are slowly starting to lift here. The days are beautifully slow but t...

This is the farmhouse hard cheese I used to make. I've been going through my old photos and there are several I'll share with...

I live in the slowest of slow lanes and there is a lot to love about slowing down. I get the full measure of what each day brings, I have t...

It's soup time!  I would live on soup if I could. Most soups are nourishing, the flavour improves each day and they're so easy ...